New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1887-07-13
An AMERICAN DUCHESS IH COURT.

An AMERICAN DUCHESS IN COURT.
Mime. D,Auxy Thinks she Has Been
Badly Treated on All sides.
The financial and other affections of
the Duchess D. AuxY. who, before she
became the wife Of noble duke was
plain Mrs Robert Soutter, Of New
York, have been conspicuously pre-
sented to the public view in the SUI
preme court before Justice V2nn The
duchess carries about with her no par
hcular indication Of her lofty rank. AS
She sat in the courtroom an observer
would as soon have suspected her of
being the wife of commonplace con-
tractor as duchess. At the same time
there was nothing in her appearance
which precluded the possibility of du-
Ical glory.
The duchess has had life Of cpl
sodes. She was the daughter Of GAIA
way B. Lamar, cousin Of Secretary
Lamar, and the founder and president
OF the Bank Of the Republic. When
only 70 years old she married Robert
6outter. the son of James L. Soutter.
Within afeW years they had four child
ren, three sons and daughter. Mr..
Lamar promised his daughter a house
and lot as wedding gift, but his affairs
1t the time were somewhat tangled.
His wealth was largely invested in cot
lon during the war and was seized by
I tfp0
cred full damages, but while engaged
b prosecuting his claim the house was
bought, at his suggestion by Mr.. and
Mrs. Soutter, who paid $4,000 down
and left about $50. 600 on mortgage.
Mr.. Lamar afterward refused to rein-
burse them unless Mrs. Soutter, in
whose name the house was bought,
would consent to take only a life inter-
est in it, the property to go at her
Heath to her children. She at first re-
fused, but afterWard, because, as she
claims, she was misinformed as to its
contents and effect, she signed a trust
deed.
This was fourteen years ago, and she
now seeks to have the trust set aside
Ind to get possession of the property
now held for the children. The real
defendants in the pending action are
i DER children, who are under infu-
ences hostile to their mother Robert
soutter died in July, 1873, and in 1876
i MS widow went abroad, where she
| had spent all her younger life. The
DUO d AuxY was a friend OF her family.
| His title is one of the oldest in France,
and he claims descent from Henry III.
His estates are in Belgium. Mrs. Sout-
ter married the duke and lived in Bel
GUM until 1884. In the meantime her
4 husbands estate was still unsettled,
and she returned to America to see
what was the matter.
! The matter, if there is any, is now a
matter of dispute. W. il. Soutter, the
executor. thinks that every thing is
| all right. The duchess thinks it is all
wrong. MIR. Soutter says the estate is
worth more than ever. The duchess,
without controverting this, thinks II
would be worth even more if Mr..
6outter had not been SO wicked. Her
Investigations convinced her that Mr..
Soutter had done something very bad,
and she had him indicted and arrested.
He was speedily released from custody
and awaits trial on the Indictment In
The meantime, the duchess cousin in
Boston, Mrs. Durant, gave her ad.
ditional trouble in training the duchess
IONS. The duchess left them with Mrs.
Durant in 1884, and claims that they
did not receive her letters. The boys
are rich.
All these disagreeable facts were
told from the witness stand during the
trial. The duke is tall, dark coIored
and dark-haired man, He parts his
hair in the middle, and wears glasses and
several rings. He has closely attended
his wife, whose plain. strong face has
been seen throughout the trial Jos
feph 81 Choate and Allen Evarts hae
defended the trustees, and Mr.. Choate
said some cold things about the duchess
when he summed up. Rollin E. Beers
answered him back and said cold things
about the Soutters. The Judge dismiss.
ed the duchess claim, with costs. Hea
Fork Tribune.